Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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IK FEBERAllON MEETS. WOMEN OF STATE IN AN NUAL CONVENTION. *Tr?r Opening Session Held In Court House Wednesday?Reports of Of? ficer* Made?Annual Report of President?Striking Addrces by Ml mm Laura D. Ulli, of Washington, D. C. The Eleventh Arnual Convention of Seeth Carolina'Federation of Wo fs Clubs was called to order In SEa* Court House at 10 a. m,, Wed laeaday by the President Mrs. W. B. aTairaey* of Columbia. The session wens opened with prayer by Rev. C. C. I, D. D. and the regular order I business wss taken up. The attendance, both of delegates the twenty-eight clubs sending mtatlves and of visitors, was srrattfylngly large, the spacious court sssa being comfortably filled. Following the opening prayer the -president Introduced Mrs. Herbert Wharton Beeil, president of the Sum Sjer Civic League, who in behalf of the CTrelc League, the club women of Sum ear and the cltIsens as a whole, wel? led the Federation to Sumter. Mrs. til spoke as follows: Ladle* of the South Carolina Federa? tion of Women's Clubs: I welcome you to our city. As her snsprceentaitv* I wish to sey thst Sum %sr feels honored In having you as her srueets. There comes a time In the mlstory of every town when she needs area to come to her; for there are few -women, unless they are so fortunate aas te have been sent as dslegates to jreejT oesseeation. who real nie whst s e*Trestt wark you are doing .n your dlf Sferent departments. Therefore wc steal sawo that your coming to us will 1*? an Inspiration to our women, and benefit te our town. The chairmen ?of the Civics Department ones said ?bat Sumter was one of the leading tnusjis of the State In civic improve? ment. r Vteer that aa> yeu pass through our | rrsaoasasjroe will feel that this Is not ? true. 'a*av*ou will find few well kept lawns, sad see few beautiful ftowjrs. ne> sparkling fountains. But It you should ge with our nurse today Into iaa bonnes of our city's poor, there ?you would see many flowers, there's reeemaqr. that's for romsmbrsnce. and s flsaretss pansies, that's for thoughts, . sand you would surely find bleeding Jsjsss rts, bat we did not plant them there end we eis sver trying to uproot ffhasw and mske to grow In their places Hearts- Bass snd balm and Lilly of ea? Valley. We bars not sown In the Spring? time, flowers that will wither In the 4sammer. er die in the cold of Winter. 1mA eure are Immortelles that ars -planted in the present and will bios worn In Eternity. So when you go from as may you still fsel our town has 'dons something for civic lmprove vmerX and that our homes are not ' -without blossoms. Again I bid you welcome and I as? sure you that I speak for every wo? man when I thank you for coming to ars and that you sre welcome to out ?*tty? our homes, and our hearts. lira Theodore Brevard Hayne, of Oreenvllle. In respondl )g fcr the Fed? eration spoke as follows: at a dam President and Club Women of South Carol na: Ws are assembled for the eleventh annual meeting of the South Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs. Great Indeed Is the growth of the clubs since this plan of a federation, was proposed by IKrs. M. W. Coleman, the first president and adopted by the ?lub members, gathered together at Seneca In 18*H. From this seemingly unimportant sjalherlng a large and most Influen? tial organisation has developed Into a power that wields a mighty In? fluence, we tri. st for good. In the af fairs of our State. No longer are no men. not entirely domestic, dubbed r?tes sto. kin km. Preclerwei Rldleles, smpponed to wear garments of queer? est rut with shortest of hair, depriv? ing themselves of woman's chlefest aflory. nor do they fear the obloquy tieapel upon Mrs. Jellahy, famous for Ink stained fingers, gotten while pe? titioning her ?luters to purchase pock? et handkerchiefs for the unclad sav sure* In darkest continent; when svpeaklng and writing on subjects out aide of their ovn four walls. No, th ? Ideal club womin of today, Is a splen ?lid creature, "the glass of fashion and mould of form," her gown, the latest <*ut. her colffum a studv. her manners wlegsnt. In fart. ployglot person, srsady to converse with an ambassador sir condescend In speech with the framblest wayfarer, fitted to comfort aw command, to wield "the pen of a ready writer," to discourse sweetest trarmnnle* on Instrument or In song. If necesessry. she can direct the cook? ing of a dinner or the fashioning of a ?Irene, with the skill of a Savarln or the taste of a Worth. How different ?Brem the literary woman of the time ?eJT P??pe and Addlsoo. embodied In lady Mary Montague,' always In dress ? of greatest negligence and who when -* friend remonstrated with her, on ebwr ebony tipped fingers, replied. "What would you say if you saw my feet?" Club women feel It thelf right and duty to strive to broaden themselves In every way and grapple with the great Issues of life. This is the year of the Mendelssohn centennial and we are reviving his me? lodious strains In his "Leider ohm Worter" and giving his great oratorios and beautiful songs. It Is germain to woman's desire for mental Improve? ment and pride in parity with man's attainment to know that many of these songs were written by Fannie, his sister who concealed her name for fear of being considered a creature not truly feminine, a composer of music. Club women are not yet united on the burning question of woman suf? frage. Many tremble at the thought of the jostling of the rude, gaping crowd and mixing with the rough rab? ble to cast the small thin slip, the ex? ponent of their feelings on some vital question. We can not expect this change of sentiment to come sudden? ly. Women must be gradually edu? cated to believe in the right of the ballot, but when we think how many things attract and Interest a woman, over which she has no control, always working indirectly, through the vote ot a man and to her great disadvan? tage, we must believe that a time will come when a woman will feel she must vote herself, satisfied no longer, to be perhaps, an unseen power, con? trolling men and measures. We da not wish to enroll ourselves with t'ie suffragettes of any land padlocking themselves in iron railings, breaking front windows in the houses of cabi? net ministers and behaving in a gen? erally Illogical manner but there are times and occasions when it would seem the most logical course of ac? tion for a woman to vote according to her own oonvlctlons. Thomas Hughes once said, "Can not a woman feel the wrongs that are go? ing on In the world? Can not she long to set them right and pray that she may do so? Women are not meant to sit only in fine silks and look pretty and spend money any more than men are meant to make It, and cry, "Peace when there is no peace." As soon as all women are educated squally with men and go out into the world to work, It will be impossible to bar them an equal share In the rights and responsibilities of life. "The ma? jority of self-supporting women." says Mrs. Clarence Mackey, the great advo? cate ow woman's suffrage, one of the richest of the leisure class and most enthusiastic for the Improvement of her sex, "want the vote because of their welfare and the welfare of thelr children." Now is the opportunity for the woman of leisure to devote her energies to working with her sex, proving that she stands beside the workers, ready to give her energy to a cause which unites all women upon a common ground, because they are women and for the sake of their wo? manhood." In Mrs. Mackay's Journey In the west, passing through Salt Lake City, one of the few places where wo? men vote, she asked the cab-driver if he would like to go back to the time, when women had no ballot there. He promptly replied, "Never. Our streets were never so clean, till women vot? ed." It does seem most remarkable that a woman may be a queen, a may? or an alderman, that she may fill al? most any office or position and yet, she may not soil her dainty fingers with the corrupting, all powerful tiny paper yclept a vote, though she may gain a vote for some cause dear to her heart by kissing a butcher as did the beautiful Oeorglana, Duchess of Dev? onshire In the famous Fox campaign. Fellow club women I do ask you to clslm the right of franchise. I only speak of it, as one of the great ques? tions of the day, now exciting so cre mendously our northern sisters, tnd still more so our calm, proud, dig? nified mothers of England. I may remark en passant, that at the Episcopal Council to be held shortly, at Spantarbug, the question of woman's right to vote In ohurch af? fairs, In which she Is so deeply Inter? ested In to be agitated, and discussed at length. It Is delightful to be with you in your beautiful city, famous for its hospitality, exemplified already, once this year, in the royal reception given to the devoted wome*i who like the vestal virgins of old keep ever burn? ing a sacred fire of the fire of pa? triotism and tell again the hallowed story of the deeds of those, whose Klory can never fade and whose mem? ory is our chlefest pride and possession Sumter can hut be a place of finest asplrntlon, and noblest aim, called as It Is. for the great Sumter, who with Marlon and PIcAens carried on a war for liberty and self-protection, when hope had died in all hearts except In the hearts of those dovoted heroes the sacred band who followed the tat te$>d banners of their Indomitable lc-aders. Cornwalll* said of Sumter: "He was the greatest plague of the Revolution" and Tarleton named him the "flame Cock," which name your country still proudly bears. The club women are most happy to be with you and the warm words of welcome we have Just heard cheer our spirits and make us press onward _ - in new endeavor for the weal of the Federation In our grand old state and through it, for the betterment of all, who are proud to call themselves South Carolinians. The report of the Credential Com? mittee was then called for and Mrs. R. H. Jennings of Orangeburg, chair? man of the committee, stated that the committee was not ready to make a full report as many of the delegates had not registered. A partial report was submitted and received. Miss Louisa B. Poppenheim. of Charleston, chairman of the Commit? tee on Rules submitted a report which was adopted. The following officers then made their reports: Mrs. Thos. Sllcox, of Charleston, Re? cording Secretary; Mrs. E. F. Bell, of Blacksburg, Correspodlng Secretary; Mrs. M. Levl of flgmter, Treasurer; Miss Georgia Dargan, of Stateburg, Auditor. / The very Interesting and compre? hensive annual report of the president was next In order and as it gives In detail the work accomplished during the past year by the Federation and plans for future activities It Is repro? duced herewith: President's Report. As we assemble again in our annual convention to give reports of work ac? complished, and to form plans for work in the future, we realize that It Is with mixed feelings of regret and pleasure that we present this report; regret because some of the high aspi? rations that filled our souls have not been realized, and some of our most cherished plans have not materializ? ed; and pleasure because we have had the Joy of trying faithfully to dis? charge our duties to the best of our abilities. That we have failed at times was inevitable. We ask you to forget the mistakes, and remember only that we have at all times endeavored to do what wae best for the Federation.. The work of your president for the Federation during the past year has been one of pleasure, in a large meas? ure due to the cheerful, unfailing loy? alty of the members of the Executive Board and of the efficient chairmen of deparments. In reviewing the past year she finds that the greatest good and the highest development, men? tally and morally, have come to her because she was president of the State Federation. She not only acknowl? edges her debt to the Federation for the great honor conferred upon her, but also because of the inspiration and knowledge that have come to her as your president. Being president of the South Carolina Federation of Wo? men's Clubs will always be counted one ?of her blessings. Shortly after the last annual meet? ing the Recording Secretary Mrs. Z. Vance Davidson, found it necessary to resign on account of serious illness In her family. The greater part of the summer was passed in correspondence with members of the Federation in re? gard to filling this Important office. After much correspondence upon the subject October found us still without a recording secretary. At last one woman was found brave enough to take the position and attempt to gath? er material for the year book at that late date. As your president had no authority to appoint a permanent sec? retary, Mrs. Theodore B. Hayne, of I Greenville, accepted the position of secretary pro tern, and she prepared and sent out the year book. The thanks of the whole Federation are d\ue Mrs. Hayne for her unselfish and very difficult services. When her work was completed Mrs. Hayne found it best to resign, and the -Executive Board accepted her resignation with regret. Mrs. Thomas S. Sllcox, of Charleston, was then appointed re? cording secretary by the board. You can judge for yourselves how very fortunate we ere in having Mrs. Sll? cox for a recording secretary during this convention. \ Last June at the Boston Biennial your president reported the State Fed? eration of South Carolina as number? ing 70 clubs, with 5,000 members. Since then two clubs have resigned, the Music Club of Greenville, and the Standard Club, of Union. Ten new clubs have joined the Fed? eration: Civic League, of Cheraw; Domestic Science Club, of Chester; Charleston City Federation; Civic Association, of Bamberg; Hartsville Improvement Club; Tuesday Afternoon Book Club, of Mayesville; Dillon Civic League; Civic League, of Walterboro; Colum? bia Civic League, Civic League, of Beaufort. We have now seventy-five clubs In the State Federation, with a member? ship of about five thousand, three hundred. Last December your president was appointed to take a greeting from the State Federation to the Daughters of the Confederacy in convention at Ab? beville. This she was very glad to do, and to express In some degree the strong feeling of comradeship that exists between these two organiza? tions. Most of the members of the State Federation are also Daughters of the Confederacy, and Daughters of the Revolution too; and it is because we have within us the courageous, fearless spirit of such ancestors that we are brave and strong to work for what is highest and best for our be? loved State. Your president had the pleasure, also, of delivering an ad? dress before the State Teachers Asso? ciation convened in Columbia, Decem? ber 30th to January 2nd. Your pres? ident regrets that It was Impossible for her to attend the General Feder? ation Council meeting in San Antonio, Texas, and the many meetings in oth? er States to which she has been invit? ed. It was a matter of pride and sat? isfaction to know that South Carolina was represented at the Council Meet? ing by Miss Louisa B. Poppenheim. who is one of the directors of the Gen? eral Federation of Women's Clubs. Miss Poppenheim was chairman of the Council Committee and discharg? ed her duties with such marked abili? ty as to call forth commendation from all sides. It is to be regretted that only a few clubs of the Federation have sent year books to the president. There Is not a subject studied by the clubs that is not. of Interest to your president; am! it Is by means of the year book that she can best keep In touch with the various clubs. You are urged to re? member this fact, and send your year book to the president. The work done by the departments of the Federation will be reported to the convention by the chairmen of said departments. It Is with deep In? terest and pleasure that the president has watched the efficient chairmen of these departments and their commlt tes; and she extends to them her hear? ty thanks for the earnestness and en? thusiasm with whlew they have per? formed their duties. These chairmen and the officers of the Federation are frequently hampered by not receiving prompt replies to communications sent to the clubs. If the president of each club would instruct her secretary to reply promptly to every communica? tion sent by an officer or chairman It would be a great help to them. The Industrial1 School for Boys, at Florence, was opened the 4th of Octo? ber, 1908. The report of th Superin? tendent, Mr. G. L. Emmons, sent to Gov. Ansel In January, gives a very thorough account of the fine work that is being done for the wayward boys of the State, who but for this Re? formatory would be imprisoned with hardened criminals. This institution, the establishment of which Is largely due to the earnest, untlrng efforts of the State Federation, is doing a great work for the State in training and controlling bad boys, and making use? ful, self-supporting citizens of them Instead of allowing them to become a menace and expense to the people This subject will be reported by the chairman of the Industrial School Committee; so details will not be en? tered Into now, although It Is difficult to stop when there is so^much In the management of this institution that Ii commendable. The superintendent Is doing fine work, and la evidently the man for the place. The Legislature made an appropriation of $4.000 for the Industrial School this year, and the town of Florence has turned over the 14,000 promised. When the farm gets Into good working order the In? stitution will be enabled to contribute financially to Its support. Th'3 people oil South Carolina are realizing more and more that the State Federation is a great power which Is being exerted to bring about the reforms that are necessary In or? der to keep the State abreast of the times with Its problems of right-liv? ing. The work of the departments and committees of the Federation is along lines that work for the uplifting of the people and the betterment of conditions not only In our towns and cities, but also In the rural districts The School Improvement Association, which is a part of the State Federation, is bringing about Improvements In the rural schools that the State had found Impossible to do by any other meth? ods. Our library department Is send? ing libraries to rural districts where there are few books and no means by which they can be obtained. Your president recommends that Library Day be again observed by the clubs in order that new books may be con? tributed to these traveling libraries; and that every club In the State use Its Influence to have a Library Com? mission Bill passed by the Legislature. All of the members of the Federation know what faithful, hard work our chairman of Library Department has done in order that we might have such a hill passed. South Carolina ought to have a Library Commission to help collect and distribute the books given by the Federation. As the libraries of the Federation in? crease in number it becomes more dif fieult for our Library Department to handle them, both on account of lack of funds and lack of time. Other States have found that a Liherary Commission, to furnish carefully se? lected reading matter to rural com? munities, Is a means of conveying pleasure, enlightenment and Inform? ation that can not be attained In any other way. The Indifference of the club women to this subject comes from the fact that they have not given It the care? ful attention it deserves. If they thor? oughly understood It, and realized Continued on page S. THE PREMIUM LIST. -o Solicit Subscriptions for the Twice a=Week Watchman and Southron. Valuable Frizes to be Given for Work in Spare Time?Number of Prizes Unlimited. The Watchman and Southron which has been the family newspaper of Sumter County since the days of your grand-parents is now published twice a week?Wednesday and Saturdays?and is the biggest and newsiest county paper published in the State of South Carolina. The price remains the same as when it was published once a week only?$1.50 a year. At this price the Watchman and Southron is the cheapest and best family paper within the reach of the people of Sumter and adjoining counties. It gives twice a week the local, County, State and general news In a condensed and readable shaDe, as well as many timely special articles on farming, household and other topics. Mr. E. W. Dabbs, President of the Sumter County Farmers' Union will have editorial direction of a special department devoted to Farmers' Union News and Farming, that will be particularly Interesting. The Watchman and Southron should go into every home In this section of the State, and those who are not now subscribers can easily be induced to subscribe. As an Inducement to those who have spare time to solicit subscriptions for us we are offering a number of valuable premiums for lists of new subscribers and we want agent3 in every neighborhood in Sumter. Lee and Clarendon Counties. ALL PERSONS who desire to do so, whether they live in Sumter County or elsewhere, are cordially invited to act as subscription agents. All will be entitled to participate in the competition, will be paid for their work in pre- i mlums, commensurate in value with the value of the work performed or in cash, as they may prefer. The price of Subscription is $1.50 a year, or 75 cents for six months?and may be sent in one, two or more at a time, with or without the cash, to suit the convenience of the agent, but for an ?Id name to be connted for a pre? mium the subscriber must pay up all arreage and one year in advance. HERE ARE THE PREMIUMS. FOR THREE NAMES?A Red Midget Stylo Four tain Pen; a two Blade Pocket Knife, or an Ingersoll Watch. FOR FOUR NAMES?A Fountain Pen with 14k solid gold pen; a Three Blade Pocket Knife or ?>oe year's subscription to either of the following Maga? zin??; Bohemian, Metropolitan, Argosy, Cosmopolitan or The Delineator. FOR FIVE NAMES?A Diamond Point Fountain Pen, a year's subscrip? tion to either of the following Magazines: McClure, Munsey or Woman's Home Companion, Saturday Evening Post, or a Stem-Winding Nickle Watch. FOR SIX NAMES?A Waterman's Fountain Pen; Stem-Winding Nickle Watch; a year's subscription to Ladles Home Journal or Review of Reviews; a fine Razor; Pocket Knife; Baseball Mitt; or Ball and Bat. FOR EIGHT NAMES?A C Watch; a fine Razor; Catcher': er's Bible. FOR TEN NAMES?Single- feluenl i Shotgun; <;old mounted Waterman's Fountain Pen; Guaranteed Stem-Winding Nickle Watch, either polished or oxydized case; a fine Catcher's Mitt, or any other article of equal value. FOR TWENTY NAMES?Ten Year Gold Case Trenton Watch; Hopkins & Allen 16-shot Repeating Rifle; Single-Barrel Special Breech-loading Shotgun; a fine Toilet or Washstand Set. FOR THIRTY NAMES?20 Year Gold Open Case Elgin Watch; 22-Calibre Winchester Repeating Rifle; Double-Barrel Shotgun, or any other article of ^ equal value. FOR FORTY NAMES?Union Arms Co., Double-Barrel Hammerless Shot? gun; $2-calibre Winchester Repeating Rifle; 20 Year Gold Case Elgin or Wal tham 7 Jewel Watch, or any other article of equal value. FOjft, FIFTY NAMES?Ladies Solid Gold Watch, 20 Year Gold Case Elgin or Wiltham 7 Jewel Gentlemans Watch; Hopkins & Allen Double-Barrel^ Hammerless Shotgun. FOR SEVENTY-FIVE NAMES?$35 Ithlca Double-Barrel Hammerless Shotgun; a New Ideal Sewing Machine; a 20 Year Double Case Elgin or Wal tham Watch. # FOR ONE HUNDRED NAMES?A Smith or Fox Double-Barrel Hammer? less Shotgun; a New Home Sewing Machine; a Solid Gold Waltham or Elgin Watch. TERMS AND CONDTTIONS. THE CONTEST BEGINS NOW" and will come to a cb 6 o'clock p. m, sharp. Each agent will be held Individually responsible for the payment of th amount due on all names returned by him or her. Where It Is desired to stop a subscription before the close of the Club contest, the Agent may do so by paying the amount due at the time of such stoppage. Where a sul?criptlon has been paid In full, It cannot be discontinued. The Agent however, may, if he sees proper, transfer the unfulfilled portion of the subscription to another subscriber, provided the person to whom the transfer Is to be made was not a subsclber at the time the original name was entered on our books. 4 No name will be counted in competition for a premium until the subscrip? tion price lias been paid, nor will any premium be delivered until the Agent has either paid or made satisfactory settlement for all the names sent in by him or her. < In cases of contention by two or more Agents over the right to a name, preference will be given to the one who pays for the name FIRST; but wherel both pay.we shall not attempt to decide the matter except by crediting the, name for one year for each such payment. After a name has been entered on our books, no transfer will be permitted. This is positive and emphatic, and where Agents attempt to make such trans? fers, they must concede our right to take such steps as may seem necessary to protect the fairness of this provision. The Agent who returns names must pay for them. Any and all Agents will have the right to Get Subscribers Wherever They Can. It is not necessary that all the names shall go to the same postolfice address. All subscriptions must be forwarded to us a* the expense of those sending them, and we will be responsible for the safe transmission of money only whm It Is sent by Draft, Registered Letter, Express or Postoffice Money Ord-jr. In sending names, Always give correct name or Initials, and present post omce address, and if possible say whether the subscribers are NOW taking the paper. Careful observance of this will be the means of avoiding much trouble and confusion. OSTEEN PUBLISHING CO., 18 W. Liberty St. Sumter, S. 0.